Étienne Amiot, author of the most important game in the Rouge et Or’s victory in the Mitchell Cup last November, will finally play his first game of the season against the Carabins.
• Also read: In his youth he was a supporter of the Rouge et Or: The defensive back now plays for the Carabins
• Also read: Despite a one-game suspension, the Rouge et Or offensive lineman will continue to defend his quarterback if the situation arises again
On a field goal attempt, kicker Vincent Blanchard instead threw the ball to Amiot, who gained 18 yards after fending off a tackle that would have given him a first down.
That trick play led to the Rouge et Or’s first major goal, scored by David Dallaire, en route to a 27-20 win over the Western Mustangs and their ticket to the Vanier Cup.
With the departure of the very versatile Dallaire, who now wears the colors of the Montreal Alouettes, the center back gained ground in the offensive hierarchy, but his debut on the scene was delayed due to a hamstring injury. “I got injured this summer and the same injury came back during training camp,” the center back said. Everything is good now and I’m looking forward to the opportunity that lies ahead of me. I demonstrated resilience at the start of my journey to be ready when the opportunity arose.
“My job will be to break the trends by blocking the pass or going outside to pursue the former Blizzard ball carrier from the Séminaire Saint-François. The transition from linebacker to fullback is complete and I feel comfortable catching and running passes. My experience as a linebacker allowed me to understand how defenses react. »
A strong central defender
At 6-foot-3 and 220 pounds, Amiot doesn’t have the same attributes as Dallaire, but coaches like what he can bring to the offense. “He’s a less versatile player than David, but he’s more physical,” explains running backs coach and special teams coordinator Mathieu Bertrand. He is a natural when it comes to the ball in his hands and he can attract attention with his size. Physically he’s similar to me when I played in the CFL, but he’s more athletic. »
Glen Constantin also praises the former Lennoxville Cougars linebacker. “We expect great things from him,” said the Laval head coach. We’re sitting in the car with Étienne. »
The absence of Amiot and the suspension of Youri Gauthier for academic reasons put the Rouge et Or in a difficult situation at center back. Rookie François Giguère-Lacasse scored in relief in the first two games, but was injured against McGill.
“It’s not ideal,” agreed offensive coordinator Justin Éthier, “but we’ve adapted.” It wasn’t planned that François would leave, but he did very well. »